Another World or Two or Three
by kat69d
Summary: A potion explodes over Harry and since it was Neville brewing it, something unexpected happens...


**Note: I do not own Harry Potter in any shape or form, except the wonderful books that JK Rowling has written...it's a bit different and i hope easy to follow...Enjoy!**

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><p>Have you ever felt like quitting? Quitting it all? Family, school, friends, life? I have. I've thought about it but never could do it. You know why. Because I'm needed. I'm the freaking bloody Boy Who Lived. No one else can supposedly defeat Voldemort. He wants to kill me while everyone else expects me to kill him. Doesn't what I want matter? It's my life after all.<p>

Maybe I just kill him as he's about to kill me. He would be gone but I wouldn't have to deal with the crap afterwards. I never wanted to be the Chosen One, the Boy Who Lived, or the famous Harry Potter. I was just Harry until I was 11 and that's what I want to be again. Just Harry.

I was daydreaming in Potions though Hermione, my bushy haired know it all friend (and I mean that in a good way) warned me not to. Snape, my evil git of a Potions professor (and I mean that exactly how it sounds) had us brewing a new potion that could take us into the future but only for 15 minutes. Come on, this was 6th year Potions and he expected us to be able to do this. He should have realized that it would be disastrous especially since it was a mix class of Gryffindors and Slytherins.

Ron, my other best friend, knocked the elbow that I was resting my head on and I fell over into Neville's cauldron. He dropped the dried newt eyes into the cauldron and it started to smoke.

"Longbottom! Everyone get back," Snape bellowed.

No one had a chance to really move though. Hermione and Ron ducked and I pushed Neville out of the way. The potion exploded over me and I started to glow.

"Professor, what's going on?" I croaked.

"Do not move, Potter," he ordered, pulling his wand out.

It was too late. The glow got brighter and it started to burn. I took one look at my friends before I was gone. Maybe I'll be just Harry in the afterlife.

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><p>Whatever happened to Neville's potion didn't take me to the afterlife or even the future. It was somewhere entirely different. In a flash of light, I appeared in the same Potions classroom that I just left but instantly I knew I was in another time. I knew because I was staring at myself while everyone was staring at the two of us.<p>

"Professor, maybe you should contact the Headmaster," this Hermione said.

I looked at the other Harry and I felt something in my chest. A ping of some sort. Maybe jealousy? His hair was messy but shaggier. There was no scar on his forehead and he was tall. He stood a good 5 or 6 inches taller than me, close to the twins' heights. I could see the muscles under his robes and I thought that there was no way he was a Seeker.

"Mr. Potter?"

We both turned to see Dumbledore in the doorway. The potion was still dripping off of me so I tried to find my wand but it wasn't there. That's when I remembered I had left it on the desk.

"Whatever that potion is brought you here and we'll need it to send you back," Snape bellowed.

"Maybe I don't want to go back," I whispered.

"And why would that be?" he said, coming up along side me.

"Still a sneaky git even if it's another world, sir," I said with a heavy sarcastic tone on the title.

"Harry!" Hermione cried.

"This is too creepy. You're her but not my Hermione. She has never gotten her hair that straight and she doesn't see the point of wearing makeup. And Ron, you look exactly the same. And you," I rushed, looking to the other me.

I finally noticed the color of the tie he was wearing. It wasn't red and gold but green and silver. My counterpart was in Slytherin.

"A Slytherin? I was almost sorted there but it wouldn't work. The bloody Boy Who Lived in Slytherin would have given the entire wizarding world a coronary. Though I would have loved to see the look on Voldemort's face when he heard."

The entire room was quiet looking at me. No one had gasped or cried out like they would have in my world.

"Mr. Potter, let's go up to my office and we'll discuss this. You too, Mr. Potter," Dumbledore said.

"Maybe Snape should take the potion off of me first so I can get cleaned up. It's beginning to burn."

Snape took a sample of the potion and scourified me. The other Harry and I followed the Headmaster to the phoenix statue and then up into his office.

"Phineas, alert Lily that a situation has come up. She'll be needed shortly. Her husband is aware."

"Mum? She's alive?" I whispered.

"Quite. Now you mentioned Voldemort. Tell me who this man is."

"A dark wizard hell bent on destroying Muggles and Muggleborns. He was also known as Tom Riddle."

A snicker came from the other Harry and I watched as he couldn't keep himself from laughing. A twinkle in Dumbledore's eyes told me he was also humored.

"He gathered followers called Death Eaters and have killed thousands. No one could stop him until he came to kill me as a baby. He killed my parents who died protecting me. The Avada Kedavra curse didn't kill me but rebounded and everyone thought he died instead. Except he wasn't. Since I came to Hogwarts, I've had to do everything to keep him from coming back until he got to me in 4th year. He used my blood to make himself whole again.

"No one believed he was back because the only other person to see him was killed. I still remember clutching onto his cold body as the portkey brought us back."

I was reliving Cedric's death and didn't hear either Dumbledore or the other Harry called my name. After a few moments, I finally snapped out of it.

"They only believed me after the stupid Minister saw him personally after you battled Voldemort in the atrium at the Ministry. If they had believed me to begin with, Sirius wouldn't be dead and I wouldn't…never mind. You told me that night that it was up to me. Only I could stop Voldemort. Either I kill him or he kills me."

Both were quiet as they caught up. Harry looked pale and a bit green. Dumbledore's eyes didn't hold their usual twinkle. I took the time to look around the office and instantly felt calmer when I saw Fawkes. The phoenix flew over and landed on my knee. I stroked his feathers as the others watched intently.

"I've never seen Fawkes respond to anyone like that, other than myself," the old wizard said.

"The Fawkes from my time saved my life in my 2nd year. The basilisk venom was coursing through my veins killing me."

The door burst open and a woman with red hair ran in and immediately grabbed her son into her arms. The other Harry was smiling but tried to push her away.

"I'm fine, Mum. There's someone here that you should meet. Mum, this is Harry."

Lily turned and was shocked to see me. Her green eyes were wide and her mouth hung open. She looked back between me and her son.

"How?"

"I'm not from here. I got coated in a potion and brought here. I was just telling them about my world."

"Mum, you and James are dead."

"What happened?" she asked.

"The killing curse by a dark wizard. I was sent off to live with Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon."

"That's not so bad."

"Not so bad? Maybe not here but our worlds are nothing alike. They hate me. I first felt the belt against my back when I was 4. The longest I've gone without food is nearly a week. My cousin and his friends torment me everyday when I'm home because they know I can't do magic. My so called family calls me Freak and punishes me for anything they deem my fault. You don't know the number of times I prayed for it all to end," I yelled.

"Mr. Potter, sit down and do not ever yell at your mother again," Snape said from the doorway.

"Why do you care, Snape? My family hates me when I'm there but it's you who makes my school life a living hell. You hate me because I remind you of James and especially that day you called my mother a mudblood and lost her friendship."

"Like you said, our worlds are different. Severus has never called me a mudblood. In fact in this world, we're married," Lily (I couldn't call her Mum just yet) said, reaching for Snape's hand.

"What?"

"James is still my father but he died on an Auror mission. A couple years later, Mum married Dad. I was 3 when they got together."

The room was silent as I tried to take this all in. There was no Voldemort, my father was still dead, and my mother was married to Snape. This world isn't totally opposite from my world but with enough changes that I could learn to like it here.

"Anything else I should know? I'm obviously in Slytherin so let me guess Draco Malfoy is my best friend. I don't associate with Ron or Hermione. With no Voldemort, Ginny Weasley didn't almost die. You never had Dolores Umbridge as a teacher here. It's good to know that at least one Harry Potter has had an easy life."

"I'm friends with all of them. Ron is dating Daphne, Draco's dating Ginny, and I'm with Hermione. Minister Umbridge is too busy to be a teacher and it's not an easy life. The twins are crazy."

"Just be lucky that you're not the one dating Ginny. Fred and George love going after her boyfriends."

"I think he's talking about Jack and Oliver, his twin brothers. They're 13 and should be heading to class, not standing outside my office door," Dumbledore said.

Snape opened the door and two identical boys entered. They had Lily's red hair but Snape's black eyes. Luckily they also got her nose. Their eyes flashed back and forth between Harry and me.

"Cool. Twins just like us," they both exclaimed.

"Not quite. That Harry isn't from here."

I looked around the room and wanted to feel my mother's arms around me. She must have known because she held me tightly as I began to glow again. She backed off and they all watched as the glow became brighter.

"Bye."

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><p>My scar tore open and started to bleed as soon as I materialized. The pain was worse than when Voldemort touched me after he was resurrected. I tried to open my eyes to see where I was but the pain was too much. I collapsed to my knees holding my head.<p>

"Ah, what do we have here? A bleeding boy who appears from nothing," a cold voice said.

I knew that voice. It was years ago but it was still the voice from the Tom Riddle memory in the Chamber of Secrets.

"Speak or I will kill you."

"Why are you here? How did you get into Hogwarts?" I asked through clenched teeth.

"I could be asking that of you, boy. I'm the headmaster here at the finest pureblood magic school in the world."

"This coming from a half blood."

"_Crucio_!" he yelled.

Rather than setting my body into more pain, it all stopped. No pain from the scar or from the curse. I took the opportunity to open my eyes. Tom Riddle looked only slightly older than the memory. He was seated behind a large desk. It was the painting that drew my eye. He was standing with his wand pointed at a redhead witch clutching onto a baby with black hair. A green flash filled the canvas and both witch and baby collapsed. The painting started over again.

"Tell me who you are and how did you know of my past," he threatened.

"Worried your precious Death Eaters will find out they're following a half blood? Maybe I should yell it from the rooftops."

"Answer me, boy, or I will kill you. I haven't cast it since I killed the mudblood and her spawn 15 years ago but I could get my hands dirty."

"Potter, my Lord. He is a Potter."

This world's Severus Snape entered the office. Besides from a deep scar running down over his left eye to his neck, he looked the same. He bowed to Voldemort and faced me.

"There is no mistaking him, my Lord. He could almost be James' twin if not for the eyes and the scar."

"Like you should talk about scars, Snape. Wait, you called him James."

"He is my brother, a fellow follower. I will summon him to identify this relative."

I was tied to a chair as Snape went to get my father. No. He's not my father if he's a Death Eater. My scar began to burn as the blood began to flow again. Voldemort watched me as I struggled with the ropes. He approached and the scar began to hurt more.

"I can feel your pain. How is that possible?"

Snape entered the room followed by James Potter. He was dressed in black Death Eaters robes and his eyes were hard, glaring at me. He stepped right in front of me after bowing to Voldemort. His eyes looked me over and he began to smirk.

"He looks like the mudblood's son if he lived, my Lord. Shall I question him personally?"

"I don't want him dead, James. Severus, administer the Veritaserum."

There was nothing I could do as Snape poured the truth potion down my throat. It took a second to kick in and my whole mind was open to their questions.

"Who are you?"

"Harry James Potter."

"How did you get in here? How did you survive the killing curse?"

"I was transported here. My mother's love shielded me."

"Transported how? Only marked Death Eaters can get into my office."

"Soaked in a potion that took me from my world to another," I answered.

"So you're from another world. So you're not the same Harry Potter that I killed years ago. Why is your forehead bleeding?"

"A curse scar from surviving the killing curse."

"Why do I feel your pain?"

"I am connected to Voldemort. I can sense him in my head. The pain was much worse before 4th year."

"Why was that?"

"Voldemort used my blood to become whole again."

"Tell me about your world."

I told the three how Voldemort was gone and then came back, about my 1st, 2nd, and 3rd years at Hogwarts, the Triwizard Tournament and the Ministry attack. Both James and Snape laughed when I told them about Sirius dying. I glared at them even through the Veritaserum.

"Enough, Severus. Give the antidote."

Snape approached and poured it into my mouth. My eyes refocused and I kicked out at the Potions Master.

"You bloody arse. Every world you're a bloody git. And you, dear old dad, a Death Eater? How did you get Mum pregnant if you hate Muggleborns?"

"A revel. She was the guest. Standard approach really. If the witch get pregnant, and they don't terminate, we do it for them. Both of them actually. Can't have more half bloods running around."

"I'm glad you're not my father. I would kill you if I had a wand."

"Excellent idea, boy. Severus, let him up and give him a wand. I would like to see him in a duel."

"My wand is made with a phoenix feather. Nothing else works for me."

Voldemort gave me his wand to the surprise of the other two men. I faced James and bowed. He bowed back and before he straightened up, he had already sent a curse at me. I dodged it and sent back a disarming spell. We exchanged a few other spells before he tried to cast Crucio on me.

"Now I'm really hurt, Dad, that you'd want to torture me _Avis_! _Sectumsempra_!"

He blocked the birds but didn't hear the cutting spell until it hit him. The cuts opened on his face and he was momentarily stunned. I accio'd his wand and caught it as it slipped into my hand.

"A true Slytherin tactic."

"I'm a Gryffindor through and through, you bastard," I said as I noticed the faint glow.

Using both wands, I cast a shield in front of me so they couldn't get at me. The glow grew brighter and I knew I only had a quick second before I was gone.

"_Expelliarmus_!"

Snape's wand went flying and I glared at the 3 men. I thought of every sad or angry moment in my life before I poured it into casting Avada Kedavra. I still had the two wands but had them pointing at a different wizard. I disappeared as the curse hit the targets.

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><p>I didn't feel guilty with what I did. It might have fazed me when I was younger but I had already killed someone. It was due to my stupidity that Sirius had to come to the Ministry to rescue me. It might have been Voldemort who sent me that fake vision but I ran head first into it, believing Kreacher when he said Sirius was not at Grimmauld Place.<p>

I appeared in the Headmaster's office and while it looked the same, it didn't feel right. I still had the 2 wands so I checked out the office.

"Hello, Harry."

I spun around and noticed the giant painting of Dumbledore on the wall. One of the things I knew about Hogwarts was that only previous Headmasters lined the walls in this office so that meant one thing.

"You're dead."

"As you are, Harry, although if memory serves me correctly you look as you did when you disappeared. Those would be Tom Riddle's and James Potter's wands, are they not?" he questioned.

"Yes. You say I'm dead?"

"Your death was what led to Voldemort's downfall. After my death, you, Mr. Weasley, and Ms. Granger went on a search for Horcruxes. Professor Snape helped you out from his post here at Hogwarts but you had to come here for the last one, which was hidden in the Room of Requirement.

"Voldemort attacked the school and the two of you fought. You dodged one spell but ran into the killing curse he cast a second later. Neville Longbottom watched and before you even collapsed, he shouted the same curse killing the wizard."

"So Neville was the one to kill him but what about the prophecy?"

"He filled the aspects of it but we believed the 'marked as equals' meant the scar and the fact both of you were half bloods."

"When was the battle? How long have I been dead?"

"It's almost been a year, Harry."

"What of my friends? Did anyone else die because of me?"

"No one died because of you. You never ordered anyone to fight. Those who died did so to protect the wizarding world from a maniac."

"Who died?" I pressed.

"Remus and Nymphadora Lupin, Arthur and Fred Weasley, Severus Snape, Rubeus Hagrid, and Mr. Filch."

"You're holding back. Who else?" I seethed, sparks shooting out the tips of the wands.

"Luna Lovegood, Seamus Finnigan, and Hermione Granger."

"Mione?" I croaked.

"She was kidnapped by Draco Malfoy and tortured by his aunt Bellatrix Lestrange. They used her as bait to get you out of the school. Lucius Malfoy killed her as she staggered into your arms."

"What about Ron?"

"Injured but alive. Scarred but not deformed. He hasn't left the Burrow since the funerals. He has essentially shut down since both of his best friends have died."

"Parchment. Where's parchment?"

Dumbledore pointed out a drawer in the desk and I sat down to write a note to Ron.

**Ron,**

**If I know you, you're moping around because I'm not there. I might not be there physically but know that I'll always be there in forms of memories and pictures.**

**You were my first normal sized friend and were there for me whenever I needed you, except for the 1****st**** task of the Triwizard Tournament. That was supposed to make you laugh, mate, as you remembered the thick skull you had for not believing me.**

**If I'm the only one who didn't make it, make my birthday the day that you and Hermione remember all the fun times we had and hadn't injured ourselves. If you're the only one there, take some time to mourn us but then live. We had the best years together and now, Hermione and I are watching down over you, making sure you're doing what you need to be doing.**

**There are others who need you. Get on with your life. Be an Auror, a Quidditch star, anything. Get married, and have lots of little redheaded kids running around. Name at least one after me if not all of them. Again you were supposed to laugh.**

**You were the best mate I could have asked for. And remember we'll see each other again one day. Now I get to spend some time with my family.**

** Harry James Potter**

**Oh, by the way, I, Harry James Potter, of sound mind leave everything I own to my family, The Weasleys, and especially to my friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, if either have survived that crazed half-blood wanker.**

**Laugh, Ron, or I'll come back and haunt the Burrow with the ghoul.**

"Headmaster, can you make sure he gets this?"

"I can do one better. Fawkes."

The phoenix appeared and I held out the rolled up parchment. He grabbed it and trilled.

"Take it to Ron, please."

He disappeared and I stood before the portrait. I began to glow again so I knew any questions I had needed to be answered now.

"Sir, if I visited here why didn't I change the future?"

"The future isn't set in stone, my boy. If it was, I believe you would do everything possible to change the fate of your friends. Before you go, Harry, I have one question for you to answer."

"Sure," I replied.

"Do you really wish you were dead? Not to be the Boy Who Lived?"

"Maybe not now but it's just not fair. I know the stupid prophecy but why me? Why couldn't it be anyone? That anyone could take Voldemort out?"

"Everyone has something that they wish they could redo or undo, even myself, Harry. The thing is to not second guess. Know that the first instincts are usually right. Know that everyone fighting this war has had a choice. No one is forced to fight or to kill. Remember that."

"Thanks, Professor."

The glow began to brighten so I was gone before I had a chance to say anything else. It took longer to reappear but as soon as I was solid, a spell hit me. I could easily have blocked it with either wand but something inside me told me it was safe.

"Welcome back, Harry. How did it go?"

"The usual, Professor. I met my mum and brothers, killed Voldemort and James Potter, and talked to a future but dead you."

Gasps and exclamations came from the others in the office. I turned and instantly smiled to see my friends, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Remus, McGonagall, and Snape.

"Killed James Potter?"

"Brothers?

"Albus dead?"

"Harry, what is with the wands?" Hermione asked.

"Voldemort's," I said as I held it up. "And James Potter, Death Eater extraordinaire," holding up the other.

"Potter as a Death Eater? Preposterous," Snape said.

"You called him brother. Voldemort was in power because I died as a baby. Do they normally kill women who become pregnant from a revel?" I asked.

"No. The Dark Lord believes in sterilization before the revels or death once they reached their usefulness."

"Harry, sit down and tell us."

I spent the next hour recounting the 3 different worlds before being allowed to rest. Ron, Hermione, and Ginny stood up with me but Dumbledore stopped me.

"What about the wands, Harry?"

"You can never have too many wands, sir. Plus I did kill with them so I'll be keeping them."

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><p>The day came that I was to fight Voldemort. I had been practicing on my own with barely legal spells and wielding more than one wand.<p>

When Voldemort and the Death Eaters came to Hogwarts, I told him I'd face him on 2 conditions and that was no student was to be harmed and no Death Eater could interfere. He quickly agreed and before heading down to face Tom Riddle, I had to stun my friends to keep them from following me.

I knew my phoenix wand couldn't duel his because of the same cores and the whole Priori Incantatem spell so I didn't plan on using it. I held the Potter wand in my hand as I stepped in front of him.

"How does it feel to be near death, boy?" he yelled.

"You tell me, Riddle."

The casting of the spells and curses began. I kept it simple and when I saw a Death Eater trying to sneak into the school, I attacked. He easily blocked the new spells but that's when I pulled out my secret weapon.

"_Avada Kedavra_!" I yelled.

The combined spell from 3 wands was too much for Voldemort to block. His body blew back and thudded to the ground as my body felt completely weak and boneless.

"And no one else had to die, you bloody bastard," I said before succumbing to the darkness.

I was in a bed but not at the hospital wing of Hogwarts. It was a simple room with a door so I must be at St. Mungo's. I could hear beeping all around me but I couldn't see much without my glasses.

The door opened and a blurring figure stood in the doorway.

"How do you feel, Mr. Potter?"

"Awake but weak. Why am I at St. Mungo's?"

"It was thought best to have you treated here than at Hogwarts. I'm Healer Kelly and after a quick exam, I'll let your family and friends in," he said, handing me my glasses.

He pulled his wand and did whatever he needed to do. His face didn't give any clues as to what he was finding. He handed me a vial and told me to drink. It tasted a lot better than the potions at school.

"So how am I?"

"I'll call your guardians in and explain it to you all."

"Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon won't come. They hate magic."

"They are not your guardians anymore, Mr. Potter. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley petitioned the Wizengamot to be granted guardianship until you've become of age."

I was shocked that they actually followed through with making me part of the family. Healer Kelly brought in Mr. and Mrs. Weasley and the matriarch nearly crushed me in a tight embrace. Her husband had to pry her off so the healer could explain the diagnosis.

"Harry is doing well physically for being in a coma for a week. I gave him a potion to help with the stiffness in his muscles. There is one area of concern that appeared when I did the exam."

"What's that?" Mr. Weasley asked.

"Mr. Potter, when you did the ritual to combine the wands, did you use your own blood?"

"Yes. I combined my phoenix wand with Voldemort's. It became one larger wand and then I used the Potter wand on top of it all. Why?"

"When you used your blood, you linked the 2 wands to your magical core. You used a lot of energy behind that killing curse to a point that you exhausted yourself. Whenever a witch or wizard does a spell, they use a bit of their magical core. Usually the number of spells performed in a day does not drain the person too much and their core recharges while they sleep.

"We had hoped that being in the coma for a week would be long enough to recharge your magical core but we were mistaken," Healer Kelly said.

"So he rests longer," Mrs. Weasley suggested.

"Sadly that's not the case. There's no way to reverse the damage to Harry's core. He can no longer do magic."

"But Voldemort is gone, right? There's no chance of him coming back?" I asked.

"He is gone permanently."

"Then that's fine. I may not be a wizard anymore but that son of a bitch is dead. It's a fair trade off."

No one else saw it like that. Ron and Hermione were angry about the blood magic that I had done and Ginny was near tears when she was told. Dumbledore looked decades older when he came to see me. It was only my magic that was gone but they acted like I was dead.

I moved into the Burrow while Grimmauld Place was being redecorated. The first thing to go was the wall containing Mrs. Black's portrait. A Permanent Sticking Charm held it to the wall but if there was no wall, there was no portrait. The second object to go was Kreacher. I couldn't stand the sight of the house elf.

I attended the celebrations and parties that were held by the Ministry and even collected my Order of Merlin. After the 5th party, I began to take refuge away from the guests. I would find a little corner to myself and just be.

When my friends went back to Hogwarts for their final year, I went to Muggle school and became fascinated with Science. I had known and seen death so I wanted to do something beneficial, like becoming a doctor.

It was at Christmas holidays that I received a notice from the Ministry. They had been studying the combined wands but they found nothing. It wouldn't work or react to anything they did so they thought I would like to have it as a souvenir of Voldemort's defeat. I guess they didn't see harm in giving a wand to a Squib. When I went to the Ministry to pick it up, it was wrapped up in a box made of wood.

I Floo'd back to Grimmauld Place and found Remus waiting for me. He said he needed a night away from his temperamental pregnant wife. Tonks being a Metamorphmagus didn't help the situation any.

"How did it go, Harry?"

"Fine, Remus."

I opened the box and picked up the wand. It felt heavier so I gripped it tighter in my hand. In a flash of flames, Fawkes appeared before me singing. The wand felt hotter and suddenly burst into flames. The heat licked my palm but didn't burn me. Instinctively I knew not to drop it as the flames surrounded my entire body.

Remus was shocked but seemed frozen in place. His amber eyes grew wider as I began smiling, then laughing. Fawkes stopped singing and the flames died down.

"Are you alright, Harry?"

"Perfect, Remus. Never better."

After the defeat of Voldemort, I was still seen as the Boy Who Lived, the One to Defeat You Know Who but as a Squib, I could also be just Harry. Maybe that's why I never told anyone I could do magic again, that my magical core had been transferred into the combined wands after I sent the killing curse at Voldemort and I absorbed it when I held the wand again. Only Fawkes and myself know the truth and who's going to understand the trilling of a phoenix?


End file.
